Part 5

by CM Towns

“We’re back from the break and still with the former Secretary of Defense GEORGE BLACKWELL,” said the interviewer. His name was Terry Wilder, a mid-thirties up and coming journalist. He was hosting his televised news program and had a special guest, George Blackwell. Blackwell had deep brown skin, was in his late forties, and on the show wore a suit that did not hide his muscular build. A military man turned politician turned Secretary of Defense turned writer. He had a round face, small nose, soft eyes and short graying hair.
Wilder was seated behind his crescent shaped black news desk on the sound stage where his show was filmed. The backdrop was a picture to the US map in blue. Very basic, simple, keeping the visual focus on himself. The former SecDef Blackwell was seated across from him on the right side of the desk.
“Before we broke off to commercial we spoke about the fear, the anxiety and uncertainty that faces the average American and you said that was there before the events of three years ago,” Wilder said.
“With the economic crisis’ facing the world and the growing tension between people and their governments, it was already there,” Blackwell responded.
“That was different.”
Blackwell shook his head. “I disagree. All that fear is still there, it’s just been absorbed into the new problems these superhumans have caused. The average man is still wary of their government leaders. Blacks and Mexicans even less trusting of police. There are politicians selling out their constituents in favor of big corporations. The police have been accused of maintaining the status quo of the rich and powerful. There seems to be a growth of institutionalized hatred brewing. Now you throw in men and women with powers, and shadowy organization-its escalated.”
“Can you clarify?” asked Wilder leaning back in his chair.
“Gladly. The government is suppose to protect their people. Our government, the shining example of democracy and freedom, is suppose to watch out for its citizens. So how come there is this Teiwaz?”
Blackwell paused before continuing, “This group of so-called super Nazi’s did not just spring up over night. They have money and access to weapons. The only way they could have been able to exist this long is by hiding as a corporate entity. Paying off the right politicians and agencies, the right cops, and infiltrating our federal government at different levels.”
Wilder pointed to him and replied, “You’re saying this is a part of a bigger conspiracy.”
“No. I’m saying that the greed and selfishness of certain men has created this problem and maybe others. If the Teiwaz are as large as some estimate it is-what other possible criminal empires can exist?” pondered Blackwell.
Wilder then said, “But what about the superhumans? The so-called heroes like Reina Titán and Red Sprite who even you have worked beside.”
“The minute it became obvious these two-as well as the criminal MIZER and her various associates-were not going to be the end of the superhumans we rushed to have a registration act in place. By doing this, two things have occurred. The first is the rising prejudice of superhumans. Kids being bullied and beaten, some to death, for these abilities that they gained accidentally. The second is now the superhuman arms race,” Blackwell said.
Wilder leaned in over the table. “This has been a hot topic. Several governments around the world have been rumored or even accused of kidnapping suspected children with abilities.”
“Some to train to fight, others to be experimented on. We have seen that with the Teiwaz. The abductions of the…,” Blackwell braced his anger, “Watching my people be picked up based on the color of our skin and turned into… Those things. And these kids had not shown superhuman abilities except for living in towns suspected of magic or having been visited. They have also been targeting white children in the system. They have been able to get access to these supposedly confidential address’ of children with powers. The worst thing is that the people in charge of this took its time revealing what was happening.”
“As you know Reina and Sprite have been working with Kirby City’s own Kid Victory as well as Reed Telle, who briefly went by Huntsman-and a few others to fight off this threat but they seem not to have done much good thus far,” said Wilder.
“We know some of these people are teenagers and we know that they have no backing from the government. It is amazing they’ve done as much as they have already,” Blackwell said before taking a sip of his drink.
“I know this is a question that has been posed countless times but how were you unable to convince Reina Titán and Red Sprite into being government agents?” Wilder asked so that his viewers could be reminded of the answer Blackwell has stated time and time again.
Blackwell smirked, annoyed. Same questions different interviewers. “When… Look, a soldier or a spy they get to go home. The enemies they made will hopefully never know who they are let alone have a good description to go on. Cops and feds versus gangs and mafia types-there might be blowback from those criminals but most times its minor.
“Superhumans, that is another level of risk. The bad guys are not just going to move on, they know who put them down and they will come back to fight. They will put innocent people at risk to draw them out. They will find loved ones and hurt them. We’ve seen it with these vigilantes and some other costumed heroes. We put them under government jurisdiction, we have to record their names and details of their life. If groups like the Teiwaz can infiltrate the government than we risk allowing the enemies of these superhumans to know the details of their lives,” finished Blackwell.
“See-this is what confuses me, you support the registration yet criticize. You support building a superhero team but fear for a superhuman arms race. How do reconcile the two stances?” inquired Wilder.
“The registration act has its uses,” he waved off before going on with, “I believe it was rushed into. We needed more time to define the perimeters and ensure the safety of those who came forward. The superhero team-that was inevitable. We need one. I just fear that the obvious spotlight status that will come from their work can put them and their loved ones in danger. Plus-these are still children. Children we’re talking about sending to war.”